Legitimate head coach candidates that should be on the Colts radar
By Brad Marr
The Indianapolis Colts will spend the early part of the offseason searching for a head coach. There are a number of respectable options to consider.
New Year, new head coach. That’s the saying, right? The Indianapolis Colts want to put the 2022 NFL season in the rearview mirror as quickly as possible. For good measure too, as it was one of the worst seasons in the history of the Colts franchise.
From the jump, the season seemed poised for disappointment. The Colts opened up the year with a tie with divisional foe Houston. Things didn’t really look up from there. Poor play from seemingly every offensive position haunted the Colts throughout the year. Additionally, the injury bug hit superstar players such as Jonathan Taylor and Shaquille Leonard.
It was bad the whole season. So bad head coach Frank Reich was fired following a Week 9 loss to the New England Patriots, just one week after the firing of offensive coordinator Marcus Brady. Reich finished his Indy coaching career with a 40-33-1 record.
Colts’ owner Jim Irsay didn’t waste any time appointing the inexperienced ESPN analyst Jeff Saturday as the interim head coach. A move that caught the NFL world by surprise and a decision that most view as a parody. Some have even called it disgraceful.
Jeff Saturday is on the verge of a 1-7 record in his coaching debut unless he can pull out a win against the Houston Texans. Regardless, the search for a successor is full sails underway in 2023.
Where do the Colts go from here?
While the majority of owners tend to not act abruptly when making decisions that majorly affect their professional careers, Jim Irsay is one that’s unpredictable. Finding a leader to potentially bring your franchise a Championship should not be taken lightly. The promise of having an “unorthodox” search for a candidate, is somewhat alarming if Jeff Saturday continues to be a logical candidate.
Rather than continue the demise of a once prestigious franchise, keeping legitimate candidates on your radar should be a priority. Moving on from Jeff Saturday at the season’s end is a must. Some of the options that could restore a prominent team to glory are here.